Periphrastic renderings and their element order in Old English versions of the Gospels

Abstract

Interlinear glosses are expected to show one-to-one correspondence of Anglo-Saxon renderings to the Latin original, while free translation is allowed to use words, phrases and clauses of ordinary usage, even though Latin can affect Old English in the choice of words, expressions and style. This paper aims at a comparative study of Old English versions of the Gospels, i.e. Northumbrian Lindisfarne and Rushworth 2, Mercian Rushworth 1, and West Saxon versions in two manuscripts – MSS CCCC 140 and CUL Ii. 2.11 – in order to show a variety of renderings found in interlinear glosses as well as free translation, especially on simple/periphrastic correspondence and element order.